National

B.C.’s minimum wage increases to $18.25, June 1

Darpan News Desk Darpan, 26 May, 2026 10:57 AM

As of Monday, June 1, 2026, the province's general minimum wage will rise to $18.25 an hour.

Types of wages affected

The increase of just over 2.1% raises the general minimum wage from $17.85 to $18.25 per hour. The same percentage increase applies to the minimum rates for resident caretakers, live-in home-support workers, live-in camp leaders and app-based ride-hailing and delivery service workers.

The minimum agricultural piece-rate wages for the hand harvesting of specified crops will increase by just over 2.1% on Dec. 31, 2026. The Dec. 31 date for the annual increase to the minimum piece rates ensures crop producers will not need to adjust wages in the middle of the harvesting season.

Context for this increase

* The Province is committed to a minimum wage structure that benefits the lowest-paid workers, while providing employers with certainty and predictability.

* Changes were made to the Employment Standards Act in 2024 to ensure annual minimum wage increases occur automatically based on B.C.'s average monthly inflation rate from the previous year.

* Approximately 141,300 employees in B.C. earned the minimum wage or less in 2025.

* These increases have moved B.C. from near the bottom to among the highest minimum wages in Canada.

Learn More:

* For details on this year's minimum wage increase, read the news release: https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2026LBR0002-000191

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

988 suicide helpline takes more than 300K calls, texts in its first year

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says responders have fielded more than 300,000 calls and texts since the launch of the national 988 suicide helpline a year ago. Dr. Allison Crawford, the chief medical officer for the helpline, says people having suicidal thoughts or other mental health distress can get help 24 hours a day, seven days a week no matter where they live in Canada.

988 suicide helpline takes more than 300K calls, texts in its first year

Some Liberal MPs echo NDP call to expand $250 rebate, minister touts seniors benefits

Some Liberal MPs say they think their government should consider expanding the eligibility for an upcoming government rebate to include seniors who are no longer working. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last week said the government was responding to concerns about the cost of living by temporarily taking the federal sales tax off certain goods and sending $250 cheques to working Canadians in the spring.

Some Liberal MPs echo NDP call to expand $250 rebate, minister touts seniors benefits

Federal government will not send Canada Post strike to arbitration, minister says

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Labour Minister Steven MacKinnon said sending the matter to binding arbitration "is not in the cards," even though he invoked that authority only a few weeks ago to resolve the ports dispute and a few months ago to resolve the rail dispute.

Federal government will not send Canada Post strike to arbitration, minister says

High risk offender released: VPD

Police in Vancouver are warning the public that a high-risk offender has been released to a halfway house in the city. Police say David Morin was released yesterday after being arrested earlier this week for violating the terms of his release.

High risk offender released: VPD

Champagne appeals to premiers to 'work together' ahead of tariff meeting

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Wednesday that he's confident all the premiers will get on board with a unified "Team Canada" approach to deal with Donald Trump's tariff threat. His confidence comes despite signs of early cracks in that unity ahead of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's emergency meeting with the premiers this afternoon.

Champagne appeals to premiers to 'work together' ahead of tariff meeting

Storm expected to bring up to 50 cm of snow to B.C.'s north coast

The weather office says another 25 cm of snow is expected between this evening and Thursday night. Environment Canada has also issued a snowfall warning for the northern and central Interior region of British Columbia, saying 15 cm of snow is expected.